Type-writing machine



V 8 Sheets-Sheet; 1. J. .B: HAMMOND. Type-Writing Machine.

' Patnted Feb. 3, 1880.

NQ.224,I83.

Witnesses 8 sheets sheet 2. J, B; HAMMOND. Type-Writing M-a0hine.

No.2 2'4,l83. I Patented Feb. 3, 1880.

Fig. 4.

Witnesses: awentpm N:FETERS, PNUTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON, D. C.

3 Sheet' s- -Sheet 3.

J. 'B. HAMMOND. Type-Writing Machine.

Patented Feb; 3, 188 0.

' m5... Ann wh fl Inventor:

N. PETERS. PHOTOJJTHOGRAPHEH. WASHINGTON. DC)

inore certain and accurate.

. parts which rotate the type-segment.

UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES B. HAMMonnoF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

TYPVE-YW'RITING MACHINE- SPECIFICATION forming- 'part'of Letters Patent No. 224,183, dated February 3, 1880.

Application filed January 10, 1880. e

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES B. HAMMOND, of Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Type-Writers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, olear,.and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to a type-writing ma chine of that class in which the type are placed upon a segment revolving or oscillating to bring any given letter into position to receive the impression from the hammer, and particularly to a machine heretofore described by me, the distinguishing feature of which is that the segment is moved and other co-ordinate operations accomplish ed by the sole motive power of the fingers upon a finger-board of separate keys. In this essential feature the machine now described is the same as that which has heretofore been the subject of applications made by me, and now pending in the Patent Office.

The invention consists of certain important details of construction whereby the machine is greatly sim plified and its operation rendered In the drawings hereunto attached, and forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved'machine. }Fig. 2 is a side elevation; Fig. 3, the front View of a section on line 00 w of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is' a plan view of part of the machine, showing the loca tion of the stop and the construction of the Fig. .5. is a section on line y y of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detached view of the shaft which carries the detent of the escapement, together with the levers by which .it is operated. modification of the stop-arm. Fig. 8 is a rear elevation of the type-segment, with its immediate connections, and ofthe yoke or frame in which it is mounted; and Fig. 9, an elevation of the weighted lever.

In the machine thus illustrated the feedsegment itself, and the paper-carriage are all" hammer which effects the printing.

Fig. 7 1s a substantiallyas heretofore shown by me in my to improved devices for imparting the motion of the key-levers to thetype-segment, and to a simpler and more certainsystem of stops for arresting the momentum of the type-segment and for holding it accurately in place at the instant when it receives the blow from the Other important details of construction are fully described and particularly indicated hereinafter.

In Fig. l of the drawings, 0 0 represent the key-levers, also partially shown in Figs. 2 and 5. The general construction and arrangement of these are, as before indicated, the same as I have shown in previous applications, except that those carrying the first bank of keys and part of the second work upon a front knife-edge, and the remaining levers work upon a rearknife-edge for the purpose of equalizing the levers. Instead of causing these 1evers to lift frames to impart motion to the type-segment and the stop for the said typesegment, I have formed the key-levers with notches d 01, Figs. 2 and 5, on their upper edges for operation upon a bar, e, fixed in the lower end of'arms ff of a vibratory frame, g. This vibratory frame has its bearings in fixed arms h it upon the frame-work B. Upon this vibratory frame 9 isfixed a vertical arm, 1', a little upon one side of the center, as shown in Fig. 1.

' The bar 6 is preferably cylindrical in form, is pivoted, and rolls to save sliding friction, and extends across theentire width of the space occupied by the key-levers, and at right angles to the central lever.

the levers that the line formed by the bottomof the operative sides of the notches is not exactly parallel with the cylindrical rod 0, but

crosses the said rod at a'slight angle, so that when any lever on the right-hand side of the central line ofl the machine is depressed the rearedge of the notch in that lever will impinge against'the rear side of the rod 0 and move it slightly forward. The notches are so arranged and are made of such form that the outside notches impart the greatest motion to the rod 0.

The length of the incline in the notch grows gradually less toward the center, and the motion of the rod is correspondingly decreased by the action of the levers as the operator approaches the center in the use of the keys. lhe direction of the line of notches in relation to the rod c, crossing the said rod, as has been heretofore explained, at the center, causes the inclines on the leftband side of the machine from the center to the outside to strike when the levers are depressed upon the forward part of the bar a, push backward that bar, and vibrate the shaft outward instead of inward, as is done when the levers are operated upon the right-hand side.

The arrangement of the notches in relation to the rod 0 from the center to the left is the same as that described from the center to the right. It will plainly appear, therefore, from the description now given that the depression of the key upon the extreme right of the machine will throw the bar c forward, imparting to it the, greatest amount of motion, and throwing backward the upward projecting arm 45 in a corresponding manner and extent, while the depression of the key on the extreme left will give an equal amount of motion to the arm 17 in an opposite direction, and the direction changes in passing from the key next on the right of the central key to the key next upon the left of the said central key.

The acting surfaces of these notches form a double set of cams eccentric from the knifeedge. The greater the eccentricity the greater the movement of the rod. Where, in aformer application, a double-faced cam attached to the type-segment shaft was operated by lifting-frames moved the varying distances required by the keylevers operating only through a portion of their motion, greater or less, the present arrangement shows a double series of earns formed on the levers themselves, the varying operation of the levers being governed by the varying eccentricity of the cams, which represent in this machine, in a modified form, another feature of earlier applicationssential feature of all these methods is, that a segment is moved by key-levers through the means of an intermediate frame or frames, the varying distances being effected in the various methods suggested and ethers that will readily occur.

The top of the vertical arm 43 is connected,

as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, by a rod, j, to alever, k. This lever is pivoted as shown in Fig. 4, and is accurately held between springs l l, fitted to press equally upon each side. U11- derneath this lever or bar k, which carries the segment at its free end, is a piece, (I, of the same width as the bar upon which, as well as upon the bar, the springs rest, so that when the bar swings one way one spring is upon the bar and the other upon the underlying solid piece. The latter spring serves as a stop to bring the bar quickly to rest and prevent the quivering and uncertainty of position which would result if the position depended only upon the adjustment of the springs. This steadying of the segment is further assisted by a piece, 15, attached to the arm V, hereinafter described.

The end of the lever opposite its pivot carries a toothed segment, m, which meshes accurately into a gear-wheel, a, fixed upon a vertical shaft, 0, which carries the type-segment D. This vertical shaft has its bearings, as shown in Fig. 5, in thumbscrews, one in the top of the frame B and the other in the upper part of a bridge, E.

The parts are all so adjusted that when at rest the zero or central point of the type-segment shall be opposite the face of the hammer. The letters upon the face of the typesegment are arranged from this central point to the right and left in an order correspond ing to the frequency of their use, those most used being nearest, and those least farthest on the right and left from the said zero-point. There being three banks of keys, this order of letters is somewhat modified in the present arrangement upon the segmentin favor of the middle bank of keys, and for securing certain combinations or sequences of letters for convenience in fingering, and also to give alarger share of work to the right hand than to the left.

It follows from what has been said that when the parts are accurately adjusted the depression of any given lever will vibrate the shaft 9, and, through the arm 7;, rod j, and lever k, rotate the type-segment snfficiently and in the proper direction to bring the type-segment letter of the depressed key into position opposite the face of the hammer.

The release of the key permits the inner end to drop or to be depressed by the spring upon the stop, and the spring upon the side of the lever It returns the parts to the normal position from which they started. It is necessary, however, for perfect accuracy of the work that the type-segment should be arrested and held for an instant during the stroke of the hammer in a position invariable for each letter, and determined with the utmost accuracy. In the machine described in my previous application this was accomplished by an arm raised upon a frame by any one of the levers, and adapted to be brought in contact with any one of a double series of serrations underneath the edge of the type-segment. By a modification of this method of arresting the type-segment I have simplified the apparatus and rendered it much more certain and accurate in its operation. The means devised for this purpose are shown clearly in Figs. 4 and 5. y 7 v The stops consist of pins 19 19, arranged vertically in the upper and lower plates of the frame B, passing down through the lower plate and resting upon the upper edge of the keys. They are normally depressed by spiral springs, which surround them and bear against the under surfaceof the upper plate, and at their lower ends upon small pins or collars upon the pins 1) p. When the keys are in their ordinary position the pins resting upon the inner and depressed ends of the key-levers fall below the upper surface of the upper plate, and when the keys are depressed the pins are raised'and project through above the said upper surface, so as to arrest the stop-arm q in its motion over the upper plate. This arm (1' is fixed upon the shaft 0 of the type-segment, Fig. 5. When the said type-segment is at rest, with the zero-point opposite the face of the hammer, the stop-arm q, being directly opposite said Zero-point, projects exactly over the middle of the upper plate. The arrangement of the perforations in the plates through which the pinspp pass is such that when anygiven lever is depressed it raises the pin at exactly that point where it is necessary to arrest the stop-arm q .to bring the properletler on the type-segment. in front of the face of the hammer. These pins being placed each exactly over its appropriate lever, the same depression of the key which elevates thepin rotates the typesegment, and. swings the stop-arm q toward the said pin until it comes in contact therewith. Upon the dropping of the inner end of the lever the pin is returned, by means of its spring, to its proper position, out of the way of the stop-arm g. This arm q can strike any given pin only on one side of the arm, or by moving only in one direction.

of the arm in fixing the position of anygiven letter.

A modification of the arm may be made the segment not returned to position after each letter, but left there, the returnii'ig, devices being removed to be carried by the next key to position. This would simply requireanenlargement of the notches, as shown in Fig. 2,. the end of their motion being as represented in the present machine. Either side of the notch would, however, be operative on the rod if left in one or another position, and should also be capable of starting the rod from either extreme of its vibratory arc. The dotted lines Show the formation of the notches for moving The position of the pins must take iuto account the width by any one of them.

the rod from anyposition to'the desired position indicated by the bottom of the notch.

The improved construction and arrangement of devices for operating the hammer are shown in Fig. 5. The hammer is pivoted at r,

and is forced against the type by a spring, 1). (Shown more clearly in Fig. 1.)

In the form shown in the drawings this spring bears against the lowerside of the lever t, connected to the hammer by a pin, 1, which works in a slot in the said hammer. This lever t is pivoted at 2. Its forward end projects over a pivoteddog, u, in such a manner that when the dog a is lifted itdepresses the rear end of the lever, and with it the hammerand the spring, and when the forward end of the lever is slipped over the edge of the dog u the recoil of the spring 19 causes the blow; but the adjustment of the spring p by means of the top screw, 8, is such in relation to the ham mer that it does not follow the hammer quite tothe point of its contact with the segment,

and its own weight causes the hammer to re bound and remain supported upon the spring 1) at a slight distance from the surface of the paper passing before the type. This spring 9 (shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 5) bears against the lever t, but may bear directly against the arm of the hammer instead. It has a screw, 8, toincrease or diminish its tension, and thereby the force of the blow, as required for greater thickness of paper, or for manifolding, or when the'inking-ribbon is pale. The other screw, 8, is shown in Fig. 1. It is made with a broad head, which bears against the upper side of the spring 9 and limits its upward motion. By means of this adjusting-screw the spring is made to serve as a rest for the hammer at a proper point as itrebounds, and sufficient room is also given for the hammer-lever above the dog a.

Referring again to the dog a, it will be observed that it is pivoted between lugs upon the inner face of a bar, V. (Shown in section in Fig, 5, and in plan in Fig. l, and part of it in Fig. 6.) The ends of the bar V are bent backward and pivoted to the main frame, as shown at 3, Figs. 2 and 6. This bar V extends over all the levers, and may be lifted When so lifted by any except the central bar the dog 1:, which falls backward by gravity or is assisted by a spring, 4., so as to pass under the extremityof the lever t, lifts this end of the lever to depress the hammer, as before-described.

The upper or bearing surface of the dog a is formed'upon a circle from the pivot of the dog, in order that when the frame V returns to rest it may readily fall under the tail of the .lever t, and that there may be no lost motion shall rise before it falls and releases the ham- K being hung eccentrically, so thatit may be mer. It must be adjusted so as to strike swung out to widen the space between the two when the stop-arm reaches its pin. rollers. By means of the spring-arm 16 it is 70 The trip of the lever is determined by the held in frictional contact with a segmental relation of the curve described by the point bar, 17, Fig. 2. This roller is moved by fric of the dog a, its center of motion being the tional contact with the paper, which passes bearing of the frame V and the curve debetween it and the other roller. The rollerK scribed by the lover I. Where these two is moved by the weighted lever L, Fig. 3. 75 curves cross each other the lever it drops from The special construction of this weighted lethe point of the dog, as shown in dotted lines ver is shown in Fig. 9.

in Fig. 5. An arm, L, is pivoted on the axis of the shaft As the central key is designed simply for of the roller K. Upon this arm is africtional spacing, it is formed at the inner end, as clutch-lever, L, pivoted so that its eccentric 80 shown, with an offset, 5, which bears against end, when the other end isdepressed, shall bear the inner ellge of the lower end of the dog a, against the periphery of a smooth pulley fixed thereby forcing it out of contact with the end on the end of the shaft of the roller K, and of the lever t, so that this spacing-lever may thereby effect a connection between the lever operate the escapement mechanism to move and the roll. A fixed stop, 25, limits the up- 85 the carriage without operating the hammer. ward movement of the weighted lever, its mo- The mechanism for operating the escapetionin the opposite direction being limited by ment is shown in Figs. 3 and 6. A small an adjustable stop, 26. This movable lower shaft, 10, is pivoted in the rear of the frame stop may be placed higher or lower in holes in carrying the pivoted pawl 6, which is subthe frame, and thus permit of easy adjustment 9o stantially the same as that heretofore shown of the spaces between the lines. The upper 2 by me. This shaft wis provided with an arm, arm, 18, of this clutch-lever L" may be op- 7, carrying a pin, 8, which works in a slot in erated by a touch of the finger, .or by coming the end of the arm of the bar V. in contact with an inclined arm on the frame-of The operation of the escapement is effected the machine, as shown in a previous applica- 5 by the rocking of the shaft w, caused by the tion.

0 oscillations ofthe barV, communicated through the arms, as described.

The. construction and operation of the pawl and the combs in which it operates to permit the step-by-step movementof thecarriage have 3 5 been heretofore ,described by me in a-previous application.

A beveled gear, 19, upon the shaft of the/. paper-roll operates with another beveled gear, to move the spool M. Another beveled gear,, 20, on the opposite end of the shaft of roller :roo K, in the same manner, turnsa spool, M. K This beveled gear 20 slides with its shaft f. through the roll, and may be thrown out of 1 in order to throw the pawl outof connection with the teeth of the combs when for any reason it is desirable to move the carriage to the left more than one step at a time, I have provided a bar, 9. (Shown in section in Fig. 5 and in plan in Fig. 3.) This bar has slight gear with its fellow (the opposite pair being thrown into 'gear) by means of the lever 214105 By this means, the ribbon havingbeen com-/ pletely wound off upon one spool, the motion is reversed, and then the winding begins upon the other spool.

longitudinal motion in proper hearings in the The tape passes from spool to spool through no frame, and is provided with a head, 10, and a vertical guides 00 00, Figs. 1 and 5. Those s spring, 11, to hold it out of contact with the guides 00 w are made fast to a bow, y, just unpawl. Contact with the pawl is effected by derneath the type-segment. The ends of this pressing the knob 10 to the left, as represented bow arejournaled in the yoke E, as shown in in Fig. 3. This movement carries the arm 12, dotted lines at z, Fig. 1. A spring-arm, 22, :15 Figs. 5 and 6, slightly to the left, and causes on the end of one of the journals of this how the pin 13 to push the pawl sidewise out of permits the bow to be elevated or depressed, connection with the teeth. The pawl is held in order to raise or lower the ribbon in the in one direction by a yielding spring, 14, and guides. This arm 22 being elastic may be in the other by a rigid stop. provided with a pin fitting in little holes in Upon the right-hand side of the bar V a the frame, whereby the bow may be held in guard-hook, 15, is fixed, projecting over the any required position.

rode, holding it in place when the type-seg- For convenience and compactness I have ment is in its normal position. This renders arranged the driving-wheel and spring which important service in arresting the momentum move the carriage as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. 12 5 of the wheel and frame on their return to a The wheel is indicated at 0. It is laid flat io normal position. upon the main support of the machine, and The carriage rides upon a way, F, by means the cord attached thereto is carried around of grooved wheels, in the ordinary manner. and attached to the framein any suitable man- The construction of these parts is sufficiently ner. A spring. P, is connected with a fusee 1 0 shown in Fig. 5, G being vertical parts of the upon the wheel, and serves to give to it an L frame-work, to which the longitudinal bar H even pull, compensating for the varying is fixed, and which carry the combs I I.

The rollers are mounted as shown at K K,

strength of this spring.

The spools M are held upon the spindles by nuts with a milled head, which are provided I be readily replaced, not soiling the fingers.-

' required for printing upon this class of maeach movement of the paperto form a new paper'holder with-perforations, to enable it to I be easily separated in sheets when the work is finished.

- arm, 13, positively connected to the shaft cfthe type-segment and imparting motion to it, in

wheel, or as a segment of a wheel of any size tmer and the type.

-I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patwith springs to give suflicient friction to pre-' ventthem from unwinding and the ribbon becoming loose.

The spools can be readily removed and new ones substituted, saving the labor of unwinding, the ribbon being sold upon such spools to A bail, R, is pivoted in standards S, Figs. 3 and 5, being held by set-screws in the head of the standards, so that it may be adjusted at any angle which best serves the purpose of supporting the paper as it rises through the rollers after being printed.

In Fig. 5 the hammer is represented as terminating at the shaft 1", andas being operated by an independent lever. This lever may be dispensed with, and the hammer itself be prolonged so as to bear upon the dog u.

The type-wheel may be made as an entire suited to hold the letters, figures, and marks chines.

The spools, it will be observed, move at line, so that a fresh snrface'is always automatically presented to the action of the ham- -A web of paper may be placed within the The subject-matter herein shown, but not specifically claimed, is claimed in other applications now pending in the Patent Office, filed byme previous to the date of this application. This case is a division of the application filed by me April 1, 1879. i v 7 Having thus describedmy invention, what ent of the United-States, isy 1. The series of key-levers c 0', provided with notches, as described, in combination with the oscillating rod e, as set forth. V

2. The vibrating shaft g, provided with an combination; with the rod e and levers, as set forth.

the notched 3. The combination, with the bar V and dog u, pivoted between ears upon the bar V, of the adj usting-stop u and of the lever which oper ates the hammer, as set forth.

4.. In combination with the dog a, the central key, formed with an offset to lift the said dog out of contact with the hammer-lever, as

set forth.

A carrying the guides m 00, arranged in the described relation to the inking-ribbon, whereby theribbon may be raised or lowered to bring any given part of it into use, as set forth.

9. The combination of the arm It, springs H, and the stop beneath the said arm, the parts being adapted to operate in connection with the type-segment, as set forth.

10. The friction -clutch constructed as described, in-combination with the rolls andthe fixed; and adjustable stops, as set forth.

1 1. In a'type writing machine, the combination of levers and intermediate mechanism,

substantially as described, adapted to impel the type-segment to bring any given letter into proper position, and of pins arranged to be lifted by the same movement. of the levers which operates the type-segment, said pins operating, in connection with an arm on the shaft of the type-segment to arrest said segment, all the parts specified being combined and operating as setforth. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' JAS. B. HAMMOND.

Witnesses: WARREN SEELY,

FRANK MIDDLETON. 

